Archives for May 2014
Inspirational Quotes: Relationship Improvement
May 31, 2014 by
7 Tips For A Great Backyard BBQ
May 31, 2014 by
Summer is around the corner and grills will be fired up. There’s nothing like hot dogs, burgers, steaks, and ribs on an outdoor grill. I like a little burn on my hot dogs, how about you?
I don’t consider myself a master grill chef, but I can throw a great backyard cook-out. I love to entertain and I’ve learned over the years that you don’t have to spend a fortune to have a successful gathering. I have a few tips to share so you can serve delicious food and keep family and friends coming back for more too.
Here’s the tips:
1. Make sure your grill is cleaned thoroughly from last year’s use. Don’t purchase expensive cleaners. Ball up a piece of aluminum foil and rub it back and forth across your grates. This should remove most of the build up. Finish removing the build up with a wire brush and clean with soap and water. A wire brush can be purchased from Lowes or Home Depot for a few bucks.
2. I’m partial to charcoal grills. That’s probably because I can’t justify spending hundreds of dollars on a gas grill, especially when I can achieve great flavor from my Weber. I add flavor by adding green twigs from apple trees to my charcoal. My neighbor has a giant oak tree, where twigs are constantly falling so I gather up a few from her yard. You can add maple cuttings as well.
3. I buy supplies in bulk from Sams or Costco and save leftovers for the next outing. This includes napkins, cups, utensils, charcoal etc.
4. Look for sales on hot dogs, sausages, potatoes, can vegetables etc. at my local grocery store. I look for the buy one get one free deals and freeze or store them until needed.
5. Purchase store brand buns, your guest won’t give it a second thought. If you have a bun warmer, this is the perfect time to bring it out. Your buns will be soft and warm.
6. Head to the Dollar Store for colorful table cloths and accessories.
7. I purchase cheaper cuts of meats and marinade and season them well. I add eggs and Lipton’s onion soup mix to my ground beef. That’s it, no salt pepper or hamburger seasoning. Use your hands to mix it, pat them out and than set them in the refrigerator overnight. They are juicy and delicious. If I fix them any other way, my family knows. Slowly boil ribs until they are tender before placing them on the grill. You can easily pull them apart while eating and they’re are finger licking good. Marinade your steaks overnight for great flavor.
6. Summer is the perfect times to head to the garden for lettuce, tomatoes, and melons.
7. Be cautious when lighting your grill. I use self starting charcoal. It’s more expensive, but I don’t have to your starter fluid, which can be dangerous if not used properly. Grill safety is important as the delicious foods that you will be preparing. Keep a spray bottle or pitcher of water on hand to control high flames.
Here’s to a great BBQ season. May your summer be safe and blessed with family, friends and good food.
Backyard Birds: Barn Swallow
May 29, 2014 by
I was working in the yard, and looked up to find this beautiful bird perched on my gutter. I had no idea what type of bird it was. It was new to my backyard. What really caught my attention was how the feathers seem glossy and the fork tail. So, I went inside to check out my backyard birds handbook. After doing my research, it appeared to be a female Barn Swallow. Today, I’m going to share a few facts about Barn Swallows. Fortunately, I have another bird to add to my attracting backyard birds list.
I thought she was absolutely beautiful. She sat regal on the gutter, and allowed her distinctive features to be admired. Look at the long, forked tail and the color around the head and beak. The top of the head was a bluish/black color. Around the beak and throat was an orange color. Her glossy feathers stood out; she was quite striking.
Also, she had her baby with her. However, the baby disappeared when I opened the door to go inside to get the camera and phone. Interestingly, momma bird seemed pretty content right where she was. When I googled the features of a Barn Swallow, I learned some interesting facts. They like to build their nest under eaves.
Facts about Barn Swallows:
- Barn Swallow migrate between South America and North America. No this is not a typo, they can travel 14,000 miles between winter and summer.
- They usually live around 8 years.
- Insects are a favorite. They feed mostly in flight since insects are a large portion of their diet. However, they will eat egg or oyster shells from a platform feeder. Especially, in the spring.
- Barn Swallows make their nests are made of mud and grass. They are usually built on man made structures.
- Barn Swallows habitat across most of the country.
- They are very difficult to attract. They like to be near streams, ponds and other sources of flowing water. (My wet weather stream just happened to be running after 4 inches of rain). Lucky me!
As I was writing this post I spotted a male Barn Swallow. It was just as beautiful, but it was more black and blue in color. Yet, the orange color on his breast was more defined than the females. The male was gathering mud from my stream bed. Again, Barn Swallows build their nest out of mud and grass. Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera with me. I am glad that I was able to get an opportunity to see this beauty up close and person. According to what I have read, it is rare to get this close to them. I hoped you enjoy the facts about Barn Swallows. What backyard birds are prevalent in your area? You may also like:
6 Tips To Deal With Stress and Anger
May 28, 2014 by
How do you deal with your stress and anger? Do you keep your monster hidden? Women have been groomed to be lady like. We’ve been taught to hold things in and take care of our family and home. Suck it up! Pray about it or just forget it. We’re the backbone, the care givers, we make it work. Who has time to think about the stress or anger that we’re feeling, right?
Furthermore, if we do take the time to get in touch with what we’re feeling somebody wants sex, a cookie or Peppa the Pig turned on. We go to bed exhausted, thrive on a few hours of sleep and get up the next morning and do it all over again. It leads to stress and more stress. And, when we finally explode or end up sick because we haven’t dealt with anything. W’re looked at as if we’re crazy. Nobody saw it coming, because it’s our job to hold it down and together. Today, I’m sharing empowerment tips on how to deal with stress and anger.
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Also, anger and stress can cause hair loss, weight gain, weight loss, it can lead to depression and a host of other health issues. Ladies, we must learn how to deal with stress and anger before it starts affecting our health. So, don’t pretend that you don’t feel angry, stressed or get overwhelmed at times. Parenting and managing a home are huge responsibilities. It gets the best of us at times and we should feel no shame.
Here are a few tips on how I deal with stress and anger:
Exercise – Walking or hitting the treadmill is a great way to work off stress and anger. A walk through the neighborhood, park or your apartment complex is good.
Remove yourself from people and situations that are not healthy – You know who and what I’m talking about. Lets face it, some people can be toxic. They complain all day and all night. There’s no happiness within and there never will be. Run as fast as you can in the opposite direction.
Accept that you can’t help everybody – There are many people in need, unfortunately we can’t help them all. I’ve learned that the world is full of people who are down on their luck, but there are also people who don’t want to help themselves. They would rather have others work and take care of them. Place your focus on you and your family.
Get proper rest – I’ve found that I don’t need as much sleep as I used to. Imagine that. I used to need at least 8 hours, but I can function on 6 or 7 now. I need that extra hour to blog!
Find a hobby – Spend a few hours a week working on it your hobby. I unplug and turn to scrapbooking, gardening or reading a magazine or book. I also enjoy playing games on-line.
Discuss your feelings – Share your feelings with the person you’re angry with or discuss it with your husband, significant other or a girlfriend. Don’t ignore your stress or anger. Talk about it and leave it on the table. Sometimes just having someone to listen is all we need.
Finally, what techniques do you use to de-stress or release anger or frustration? Most importantly, we hope that you will incorporate our tips into your life.
Inspirational Quote: Write Your Own Chapters
May 27, 2014 by
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You may also like this quote: Learn to Listen
Turn It Up Tuesday – Week 36
May 27, 2014 by
Welcome to the 36th week of Turn It Up Tuesday!
Thanks so much to everyone that joins us each week and makes this blog hop the best that it could be!
As you may know, Turn It Up Tuesdays is all about being happy, excited, energetic…and having fun! Link up your favorite posts and meet some awesome bloggers in return! Link up your funny stories, DIY posts, recipes, mommy moments — anything at all, as long as it is family-friendly. We want to laugh, be entertained, be inspired, and have a good time!
SPONSOR OF THE MONTH
Angie from God’s Growing Garden
In addition to being our fabulous guest host this month, Angie is also an amazing blogger. With over 40 years experience gardening, cooking, baking & canning, Angie can definitely be considered somewhat of an expert in her field. Her blog, God’s Growing Garden, focuses on helping her fellow ‘backyard farmers’ and features some great blog hops including The Great Blog Train and Wake Up Wednesday Link Party. Angie is also celebrating her 3rd blogiversary with a big giveaway…make sure to sign up!
Are you interested in having your blog or website featured in this spot? Then, sponsor Turn It Up Tuesday for a month! Click here! It’s only $5 for an entire month!
Use promo code: MAYFLOWERS all month for 50% off!
Use promo code: MAYFLOWERS all month for 50% off!
Welcome the lovely ladies of Turn It Up Tuesday!
And welcome our awesome guest hosts for May!
Interested in being a guest host or becoming a permanent co-host?
Complete the form here! Monthly co-hosts will be chosen on a first come first-serve basis. We’re now accepting guest hosts for June and July.
Here are the Featured posts from last week!
Angie chose Gardening: How To Build A Bean Teepee from Mother 2 Mother. “My Bean Teepees never seem to last the summer so I resorted to putting up a bean fence but I think that the teepee is so much more pleasing to the eye (& so cool!). This Teepee looks like it would be very sturdy & last the entire summer!”
Karen chose Pom Pom Throw Blanket from Delineate Your Dwelling. “This is a great tutorial and the finished throw looks great with the pom pom detail. I have the same pom pom maker as Amy and like her, I love using it.”
Katie also chose this post. “I love this blanket for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s a Target clearance find … My favorite kind! Second of all … I had NO idea you could buy a Pim Pom Maker! This would have saved me SO much time when I made 80 Poms for a wreath last Christmas! I may need to acquire one ASAP. Plus the Poms add so much fun to the blanket!! Such a simple upgrade, but I love the result!!”
Rhonda chose Thrift Store Lamp Makeover from Budget Girl. “I fell in love with these lamp shades when I saw them months ago, but they didn’t fit into my décor. Imagine my surprise when I found them on these beautifully made over thrift store lamps. Love them!”
Carolyn chose The Best Italian Pasta Salad Ever! from Put A Bird On It. “This recipe is perfect for summer and it really does look like it would be the BEST pasta salad ever and I can’t wait to try it!”
Debbie chose Chicken Grapefruit Salad with Wasabi Dressing May CIC from Spatulas On Parade. “This recipe sounds so yummy I can’t wait to try it. The ingredients are original and I never would have thought to put them together. I also love that the recipe came to be as a crazy ingredient challenge.”
Jessica chose Am I Ready to Buy A Home On My Own? from Surviving and Thriving in the Second Year of My Divorce. “What she’s going through reminded me of buying my 1st home after my divorce with the ex. It signified my independence and new life with my son who was 8 at the time. I remembered when it felt soo good to be me again! I hope she enjoys her new found identity :-).”
Gurvy chose In a rut – Feeling Fat, Frumpy, and Foolish from Failing Perfect. “I can relate, I feel fat, frumpy and foolish a lot! I thank her for reminding me it’s a choice & we have the power to change the way we feel! There is no ‘perfect’, we make ‘perfect’.”
Jillian chose Managing Emotions During Pregnancy from Snippets of Inspiration. “While I was pregnant I went through loads of emotions and having a post like this would have helped me understand my emotions much better.”
Rachel chose Upcycled Toy Horse into a Garden Sculpture from Redo It Yourself Inspiration. “I thought this was unique and amazingly well done. I would not even have known it was a toy horse had I not seen the tutorial!”
Stacey chose The Spring Cleaner Smoothie from Raia’s Recipes. “I have been blessed with a super picky eater for a child and I often worry that he doesn’t get enough of the important things that come from fruits and veggies and this is a smoothie that I think he might actually drink, I know that I sure would! Thank you for sharing!”
Cathy chose Starbucks Lemon Loaf from Yesterfood. “My son worked for Starbucks for 3 years. My favorite sweet treat was their Lemon Cake! I can’t wait to try this recipe!”
Natasha chose The Blogging Blues from Momfever. “I have had my share of blogging blues in the past 1 1/2 years since I started blogging. It’s amazing the posts that go popular on my blog – they are mostly those posts that I write in 5 minutes, whereas the posts that I put time, love, and passion into only receives a minimal response. But I love how this post identifies those feelings and talks about how to get past it. Great post!”
The post with the most clicks is Blogging And Why I’m So Frustrated from Baby Doodah.
If you were featured above, feel free to share the badge below with pride on your blog or website!
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And the Best of the Best is…
The Blogging Blues from Momfever
In a rut – Feeling Fat, Frumpy, and Foolish from Failing Perfect
As the Best of the Best, you win free ad space on Epic Mommy Adventures for 30 days! Please showcase the badge below with pride on your blog!
Please send an e-mail to Natasha at 1EpicMommy @ gmail.com and she will provide you with all the details!
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So now that you’ve seen the Featured and the Best of the Best and met our hosts and co-hosts…
let’s get started!
- Show some love to your hosts and co-hosts simply by following them on social media and leaving a comment so they can follow you back.
- Link up as many posts as you’d like! The more, the merrier!
- Check out some of the other posts and make some new friends!
Grab the button below and showcase on your sidebar! Invite your fellow bloggers to join the fun!
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Link up your posts, make some friends, and earn the chance to be featured or become the Best of the Best on Turn It Up Tuesday! We will feature the favorite posts each week!
Never miss another Turn It Up Tuesday! Sign up for reminder e-mails!
Interested in reading all of the Featured Posts on Turn It Up Tuesdays? Or do want to know if your post was featured before we go live next week? Follow Natasha Peter’s board Featured on Turn It Up Tuesdays! on Pinterest.
How to Attract American Goldfinch
May 26, 2014 by
Today, I’m sharing backyard birding tips on how to attract American Goldfinch to your backyard. The American Goldfinch is one of my favorite backyard birds. The male’s bright yellow color will keep you in awe. If that is not enough their flight pattern will fascinate you. The American Goldfinch is supposed to be a sign of good luck. They signify prosperity and abundance. Furthermore, they represent the importance of being optimistic, happiness, joy, and simplicity. Who wouldn’t want this type of positivity in their yard.
So, I discovered the American Gold Finch while gardening. I noticed them on my sunflowers having the biggest party. They were devouring my sunflowers seeds. They were so beautiful, I now plant sunflowers every summer for them to feast on. Besides, sunflowers are also pretty to look at and are great for our pollinators as well.
Although the male American Goldfinch had mottled, turned a dull olive color, I noticed that they were still hanging around during the winter. So, I needed to find a way to keep them in my yard during the cold winter months. I was successful, so I thought I would share my tips with you.
How to Attract American Goldfinch:
- American Goldfinch love seeds, so plant sunflowers, aster and thistle to attract them during the summer months. They also love milkweed.
- Offer sunflower seeds in your feeders. I fill one feeder with Black Oil Sunflowers. This is a picture of a mottled male American Goldfinch. The male turns a dull yellow/olive color in late summer. The female is similar to this dull yellow year round.
- American Goldfinch will visit feeders too. You can use a platform feeder, hopper or just a regular backyard bird tub feeder. They aren’t afraid to sway in the wind. (The feeder above is an old copper tube feeder that I’ve had for years. They love it). This feeder has 6 ports, which allows several birds to feed at once. It’s one of my favorites.
- These birds love Nyjer as much as they do sunflower seeds. But, you will need a special tube feeder for the Nyjer. The seeds are very tiny. As a result, they need a small openings above a perch to retrieve the seed. They make tube feeders specifically for Nyjer. This tiny seed is the most expensive bird seed that you can purchase, but it’s a great way to attract them to your feeder.
- You can also purchase a nylon sock for the Nyjer. They are less expensive than the Nyjer feeders, and my Goldfinch prefer the socks over the feeder.
I hope that you have enjoyed my tips on how to attract American Goldfinch to your backyard. Finally, I hope that you will try one or two of my tips so you can enjoy these beauties too. You won’t be disappointed.
Inspirational Quote: Trust
May 25, 2014 by
Be sure to subscribe to Mother 2 Mother and follow me on Social Media before you leave. You may also like this quote: My Destiny
